The Academic God Becomes an Internet Sensation After Joining a Dating Show - C2 - The Contract

Shen Xuzhi sat at the far end of the sofa, his hands resting on his knees.

He eased his expression, crossed one leg over the other, and his presence felt more composed now, no longer as intense as when he had first entered. He even appeared to be in a pleasant mood.

Glancing at Qing Lin, he casually motioned for him to pay no attention to him.

But with someone this striking seated so close, ignoring him was nearly impossible.

Qing Lin turned his gaze away. He still couldn’t figure out why Shen Xuzhi had chosen that spot when there were so many empty seats.

Perhaps it was his personal sofa, the kind he insisted on using even if it meant squeezing in next to someone.

Either way, Qing Lin decided it was none of his concern.

The sooner this ended, the better.

Hong Shanyue didn’t seem bothered by Shen Xuzhi’s choice of seat. His attention remained fixed on Qing Lin.

“Qing Lin, why do you want to terminate the contract? Didn’t you already sign it?”

The moment he said the word “terminate,” Qing Lin clearly felt the man beside him shift. The cushion dipped and bounced ever so slightly.

Qing Lin glanced at Shen Xuzhi. His expression had darkened again, clearly unsettled by something.

The sofa wasn’t particularly large or small, and with both of them seated on it, there was barely any space between them.

Their body heat passed through the thin fabric with ease, and despite the air conditioning, the atmosphere felt uncomfortably warm.

Qing Lin hesitated, then shifted slightly to the side to give him more room.

Shen Xuzhi: “…”

Shen Xuzhi said nothing.

After adjusting his posture, Qing Lin began,

“I’m very sorry, Director Hong. This was entirely my mistake. I didn’t read the contract carefully before signing and ended up signing the wrong one.”

“The wrong contract…”

Hong Shanyue didn’t focus on the error itself. What caught his attention was the implication that there was another contract.

Could it be that another program was trying to recruit him? That would certainly complicate things.

Unable to hold back, Hong asked, “Do you already have another contract lined up?”

He had seen this kind of newcomer too many times before. Young, seemingly quiet, but ultimately driven by profit, always ready to chase the highest offer.

Worried that another show might have offered a better deal, he forced a smile and made a passive-aggressive remark.

“So, you’d rather join another show than stay with ours? Were we paying too little? Or is their program simply more impressive?”

“It’s not that…” Qing Lin paused for a moment before continuing.

“The other program is a group class under the Youth Learning Program.”

Hong Shanyue was momentarily speechless.

This kid really had a way with surprises.

“Director Hong, please allow me to withdraw from this program,” Qing Lin said. “I’ve already explained my reasons. I haven’t graduated yet. I’m just a regular student, at most someone who shares study content online. I don’t understand anything about variety shows and I have no plans to enter the entertainment industry.”

Qing Lin’s voice was steady and clear, his tone calm and composed, as soft and smooth as a breeze over still water.

“The contribution points on BiliBili were not my doing. I don’t know where the three million came from,” he said. “I believe that position should be given to someone more deserving.”

For a moment, the room fell into a quiet stillness.

Everyone looked at the boy, so serene and self-possessed.

Hong Shanyue seemed especially conflicted.

Back then, BiliBili’s selection process was entirely transparent, with real-time rankings updated each day. No one could have anticipated the dramatic shift that happened on the final day.

Maybe someone had intervened behind the scenes. Maybe there had been a data error. But once the news broke, there was no stopping it.

At first, Hong Shanyue assumed it was just another attention-seeker who had spent money to force their way into the spotlight. In this industry, that kind of move was nothing new.

But when he looked over Qing Lin’s profile, he found himself unexpectedly surprised.

A spotless background, even an impressive one. He was currently studying at a C9 League university with excellent academic performance. He had no connection to the BiliBili entertainment scene whatsoever. Just a complete outsider.

And judging from the circumstances, he probably wasn’t from a wealthy background either. There was no way someone like him could have come up with three million.

But that only piqued Hong Shanyue’s interest more. That’s why he’d invested so much time inviting this kid supposedly “backed by capital.”

When the contract was unexpectedly signed yesterday, he thought the kid had finally agreed. But now it turned out to be a misunderstanding.

This put him in a difficult position.

“But you’ve already signed the contract.”

Suddenly, a low, deep voice broke the silence in the room.

The man leaned back lazily into the soft cushion, his fringe falling naturally over his forehead. His features were sharply defined, with deep set eyes, a prominent nose bridge, and a sculpted jawline. Even in profile, his presence was striking.

All eyes turned toward him. Shen Xuzhi was clearly used to the attention. He said flatly, “A signed contract is legally binding. You have an obligation to fulfill it.”

Qing Lin hadn’t expected this high-profile figure to speak up.

Hong Shanyue quickly added, “That’s right, Qing Lin. Since you’ve signed the contract, you’re already part of our production team.”

“But Director Hong, I signed the contract by mistake…” Qing Lin began, but was immediately interrupted.

“The law doesn’t accept signing a contract by mistake as a valid reason to cancel it,” Shen Xuzhi said calmly, his eyes fixed on Qing Lin. “There was no deception or coercion, and the contract doesn’t violate any laws or go against public interest. It remains valid and enforceable.”

Qing Lin felt that this major celebrity was becoming a little too involved.

Still, he had no other option. He needed to explain, so he turned slightly to face Shen Xuzhi.

The sofa was narrow to begin with, and the slight movement caused his knee to brush against Shen Xuzhi’s thigh, a faint warmth rising from the unexpected contact.

Qing Lin wasn’t sure how to address Shen Xuzhi. In the industry, people usually said “laoshi,” but since this was their first meeting, he chose a more formal approach.

He pressed his lips together, blinking his amber-colored eyes, and spoke softly. “Mr. Shen…”

Shen Xuzhi froze.

Qing Lin continued with a calm and serious tone. “Mr. Shen, I never claimed the contract was invalid. But signing under mistaken intent allows for the possibility of renegotiation, or even annulment, based on legal grounds related to significant misunderstanding.”

“Ah…” Shen Xuzhi stared blankly at the person in front of him.

Qing Lin’s expression was focused and sincere, yet his demeanor remained gentle and respectful. His features were delicate and fair, and his lips were so soft and rosy that it was hard not to glance at them.

“Xuzhi?” Hong Shanyue noticed Shen Xuzhi zoning out and assumed the boy had frightened him a little.

“We’re a legitimate, well-established company,” Hong said quickly. “If the contract is to be canceled, you’ll need to file a case with the People’s Court or an arbitration committee. That whole process would take at least two or three months. We can’t afford that kind of delay or expense.”

Shen Xuzhi finally came back to his senses. He gave a light cough, recovering his usual aloof demeanor, and responded with a quiet “Hmmmm.”

He turned his wrist slightly, his bones appearing sharp and cold, and said, “So at this point, you have two choices. One, go through legal procedures to cancel the contract, but you’ll be responsible for covering the show’s financial losses during that time. Two, treat it as a breach of contract and pay the penalty.”

He lifted his eyes, glancing around the room before looking away again, concealing whatever emotion had passed through them. “The penalty is three times the value of the contract. Can you afford that?”

Qing Lin instinctively rubbed his hands together.

Shen Xuzhi wasn’t wrong. He had no way of paying for damages, let alone three times the amount.

In fact, he was in desperate need of money. A significant amount of money.

Qing Lin lowered his head, looking tired and dispirited. His entire presence seemed wrapped in quiet sorrow.

Hong Shanyue thought Shen Xuzhi had threatened Qing Lin too harshly and quickly tried to smooth things over. “There’s no need to take it that far. Honestly, joining the show isn’t such a bad deal. You don’t have to pay anything, and you’ll even earn something.”

Paid?

Qing Lin looked up and saw Hong Shanyue holding up one finger.

“One million.”

Qing Lin’s expression changed slightly.

The contract situation had turned messy, but the offer was definitely tempting.

It might not mean much to a top celebrity, but for someone like him, it was a massive amount.

If this continued to drag on, he would only be in a worse position. He didn’t want any more complications, and he really needed the money.

If appearing on the show meant receiving that payment, it would help ease his current difficulties.

Still, the thought of being on a variety show made him uncomfortable. But now the contract had become both a legal and moral weight on his shoulders.

What was he supposed to do now?

Was he really just going to accept it?

Even as he began to accept the situation, Qing Lin looked up with a hint of reluctance and murmured softly, “Is there really no other way…”

He already had a gentle, well-behaved appearance, and though he carried himself with a quiet reserve, the soft southern lilt in his voice made it sound almost like a complaint.

Shen Xuzhi had been silently watching him from the side, but the moment he heard those words, he quickly turned away and covered part of his face.

Hong Shanyue simply spread his hands and shook his head.

“Alright, I understand.” After thinking it over, Qing Lin said, “I’ll join the show.”

“Really? That’s great!” Hong Shanyue looked genuinely pleased. “No need to be nervous. This variety show is pretty laid-back. A bit of travel, and a little romance. Nothing too intense.”

Suddenly, Hong Shanyue clapped his hands and pointed to Shen Xuzhi, who was sitting on the same couch as Qing Lin. He said, “Look, this handsome guy is also joining the romance show. You should know him, Shen Xuzhi, the popular singer! You two can get to know each other ahead of time.”

The two glanced at each other and quickly looked away.

It was obvious Qing Lin wasn’t very interested in talking.

“The show’s schedule and details, Director Hong, please send them to me later. I still have to return to school today,” Qing Lin said as he stood up. “I’ll be leaving now.”

“Sure, no problem.” Hong Shanyue nodded, then turned to Shen Xuzhi and said, “Xuzhi, wait here for a bit. I just need to grab something. I’ll be right back.”

He leaned in slightly and added in a low voice, “Thanks a lot for today. I’ll treat you to dinner later.”

Shen Xuzhi gave a small nod.

Not long after, Qing Lin walked out.

The others in the lounge also began to leave the reception room, until only Shen Xuzhi and his dazed manager were left sitting in the back.

Wang Zhan looked as if he had seen a ghost. He had never witnessed Shen Xuzhi go out of his way to sit next to a stranger, let alone actually speak so much to them.

What on earth had gotten into him?

Wang Zhan walked over and handed him the documents they were supposed to go over with Hong Shanyue later. “Brother Xu, is this the right set?”

But Shen Xuzhi’s eyes remained fixed on the lounge door. He responded with something completely unrelated. “Did you see that?”

“See what?” Wang Zhan looked puzzled.

After a moment, he hesitated, then asked cautiously, “You mean… Qing Lin?”

Shen Xuzhi let out a quiet “Mm.”

Wang Zhan sensed that something was off, but figured Brother Xu probably just didn’t like the kid.

Still intending to offer some advice, Wang Zhan was about to speak when Shen Xuzhi, his expression unreadable, suddenly asked, “Was I too harsh just now?”

Wang Zhan froze. “?”

Shen Xuzhi turned to him, frowning slightly in thought. “Did my expression look alright? Did I still come off as cool? Do you think I made a good impression?”

Wang Zhan stared at him in silence.

Wait. What was going on?

“What am I supposed to do…” Shen Xuzhi leaned back against the couch. As he replayed their brief interaction in his mind, a faint blush rose to his ears. He covered part of his face with one hand, hesitated, then quietly muttered,

“He’s just too cute.”